Ali"s worst opponent ?

Every hwt champion fought second or third raters at times...generally to keep themselves active in-between fights with more skilled fighters. no hwt champion fought as many great challengers than Ali....the list is a long one.

 

No problem, Mark.

I've replied that I thought Dunn, but there were a few less than stellar fighters in the ring with Ali, so I wouldn't argue too hard.

It appeared that Ali was getting pissed on for having a lot of 'ordinary' dudes on his resume.


Since he fought ALL the best around at his time, and since he was a champ after only a score or so, of fights and fought another 40 times, it was inevitable that he would have some journeymen on his resume.


It gets up my nose when some fools (not talking 'bout you here) start listing 'names ' on a fighter's resume and labels them school teachers or motor mechanics. I don't give a **** how many bums are on a guy's resume as long as he's fought the best as well.

In fact, I admire someone who, in addition to fulfilling all his duties to clean out the division, also gives some of the little guys a chance. This was especially true when fighters fought four to seven times a year.

Nowadays, champions only fight once or twice a year and need to be more selective. However, I see no justification for such a light workload on the part of today's crew.

This is one reason that Floyd will probably never crack the top ten, even though he probably has the skills to do so. Seven fights in seven years during near prime years just doesn't cut it.

 

Prior to Liston, it might be the fabled and mysterious Sweet Jimmy Robinson from Kansas City, the only opponent with a losing record at the time they squared off, the only one who retired with a losing record [a ghastly

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], and the fastest knockout victim, going over half a minute sooner than Liston did in Lewiston. He later claimed to actually weigh 158 when he stepped in as a last minute substitute. BoxWRECK does credit him as the first opponent to defeat Irish Gene Wells from Mobile Alabama via 6 round decision for Sweet Jimmy's final career win. If this is accurate, that's a bizarrely unexpected result. It has to be a mistake.

 

Brian London would probably get my vote, but the opponent who did worst taking into account his ability has to be Bugner.

 

By that standard, I think I'd go with the Jerry Quarry rematch. A psyched out and hypertensive JQ gassed very badly very quickly. Considering the hell Jerry raised the next year, it can't be said he was washed up yet, although he passed his peak a few years earlier.

 

London wasn't as bad as people make out. Though limited, he was a gutsy, hard-working sort of fighter who was very seldom beaten easily. Coming into his title shot at Ali, his last three fights had all been against top 10 opponents and he had a respectable 2-1 record against them. The loss was to Thad Spencer, who clearly outboxed him, opening multiple cuts, but who was unable to hurt him and was visibly flagging in the last three rounds while London was coming on strong.

 

The only significant fighter Ali missed was Eddie Machen.

 

I'm having a really hard time with the fact that you even nominated Patterson.

 

Alfredo Evangelista.

 

Very true.

 

I agree with Coopman. I wish I could accurately relate the JPC story from Hauser's Ali bio. Something like they needed a sparring partner for Coopman when he came in for the fight who wouldn't make him look bad- and there was concern when watching him train that this might be a harder task than first thought. So finally they came up with an unnamed ex-fighter- said to once be a journeyman 175lb main eventer but now bloated, late thirties and hadn't fought for like ten years. He was told to take it easy on Coopman and make him look good. After a sparring session between Coopman and the old guy that didn't make Coopman look good at all, the handlers confronted the retired guy and asked him why he wasn't following directions and letting JPC look good. He responded with exasperation, "I'm trying to make him look good!"

Coopman was evidently that inept.

 

Coopman.
Apparently he was drinking champagne in his corner between rounds, they were just happy to be there.

 

Strongly disagree, and so would Ali himself I'd wager.

 

And for good reason, Ali would have beaten Eddie post Liston but Angie was smart to not match Clay against Machen in 63. To be fair, a good number of ATG's never overstepped their progression prior to their hitting prime. As far as Ali's worst opponent, we needn't go any further than the pieces of crapola he fought post-Foreman on ABC. There are other examples but, I remember in the Dunn fight, Ali hit him with nothing more than a hard jab and Richard 'wobbled' in his tracks. I wouldn't have accepted a paycheck for this one-sided farce!